House Guest
by JJBluebell
Summary: Someone from Juliet's past comes tumbling into her life just as she's starting to rebuild it. How could she turn away the broken girl she once knew? How will Max work around her to get to his Obsession? How can one girl turn everything on its head? ...well, only one thing is clear; nothing is what it seems and the past never forgets your sins, no matter how deep you bury the bodies


It was starting to get to her a little, ever since Juliet moved into her new place she'd had this feeling, this awful gut instinct; she just wasn't sure what it was.

Still she was almost on edge, she just figured it was because of the new place, it was so beautiful and completely out of her price range.

She was just getting used to it, used to being alone again she guessed.

The only escape from that feeling she'd gotten in the last few weeks was the chaos of the ER. She could rely on that at least.

"Dr. Devereau there's a patient in cubical 13 that keeps asking for you?" the nurse sighed, trying to guide the good doctor down the hall and Juliet didn't really register it strange request, patients didn't usually ask for doctors by name "Have they been examined?"

"Nope, won't let anyone touch her, just kept asking for you. Honestly she didn't look too good." The look on the nurse's face told Juliet everything she needed to know, she knew that look, had worn it more than a few times herself since becoming a doctor.

Juliet pulled back the faded blue curtain expecting to see one of the many women that strolled through the ER, the ones with fear in their blackened eyes or needles hanging out their arms; she didn't expect what she found.

Her heart almost stopped.

Was this real?

Was that sweet face she hadn't thought of in years really sat littered in bruises in her ER? Chalk blue eyes brimming with tears and dark shades of purple-black that was trying to hide behind the tattered unnatural red curls, lip twitching into a half-hearted smile, making the girl wince and bring a hand to the harsh slice along her cracked lips.

She looked so small, this girl cradling her clearly injured arm close to her chest, there was a rip in her cream summer dress that it was far too cold for, showing some much darker, fresher bruises and a long gash that was staining the light fabric beyond repair.

"Sonnet?"

The girl tried for another smile but something inside her couldn't force it up, fighting back tears "Hey Jules…" her lip began to quiver "Help me?"

Without another thought Juliet ran and enveloped the sobbing girl in her arms. Careful to not hurt her as she wondered just what the hell had happened.

The next 12 hours passed in a blur of check-up's, police statements and tears.

Not that Max knew that, he just knew that Juliet hadn't been home all night, he should know because he fell asleep in her bed, almost grateful when he didn't wake up to her screaming at the sight. Then he wondered where she could have been, she hadn't been home… was she busy at work? No, there wasn't anything on the news about some big accidents… what if she was with someone? With 'Jack'?

He had to know, that's all, he had every right to worry. That's why he was stood in the hospital, wheeling a reluctant August through the mass of people.

The race of his heart slowed, calming him when he saw her, smiling sadly to some redhead with her back to him. He smiled as he watched Juliet lightly kiss the girls hair before ducking out of the cubical.

Was it normal for Doctors to do that?

Kiss their patients?

He watched her put her cell phone to her ear and almost jumped straight out of his skin as his jeans began to ring. Shuffling back around the corner, keeping her just in sight Max answered the phone; trying to speak as softly as possible "Hello, Juliet?"

"Max hey, listen um, I'm going to have someone staying with me for a while… honestly I'm not sure how long for; It's kind of a family emergency. I was just wondering if they'd be any extra charges for a temporary roommate?"

He saw her glancing back at the redhead and bit his lip "Um, no, no as long as the situation is temporary and I'm also not enough of a monster to charge you over a family emergency."

She laughed.

He smiled.

"Thanks, you're a lifesaver. I have to go."

Max watched her hang up and head back to the other girl, satisfied his Juliet was alright, safe… loyal.

Now he was left with knew questions, who was that redhead? What had happened? When was she leaving?

A few hours later and Juliet was finally home, both hands filled with bags and her guest trailing behind her, her arm plastered up "Jules let me help, please…"

"Don't be silly, you have a broken ulna for gods sake."

Sonnet laughed as they rode the elevator, making the stitches in her side twinge in pain "you can drop the lingo, not all of us speak nerd."

Juliet smiled at that, the familiar ribbing was what she'd been waiting for, Sonnet was many things, quiet wasn't one of them and the fact she barely spoke at all over those never-ending hours made Juliet pretty uneasy.

The whole situation did really.

Poor Sonnet.

The moment the elevator door opened the two girls were greeted by the handsome, attentive landlord smiling brightly "Hey, let me help you with those."

"Max…" but before Juliet could finish her sentence he had all but her handbag in his grip.

"Please. I insist."

"Oh, so he gets to help but I'm a dying leper?" Sonnet half joked, finally pulling Max's gaze from the good doctor "Oh don't be such a drama queen. Oh um, Max this is Sonnet, Sonnet this is my landlord, Max."

As Juliet fiddled with her key's Max took a quick glance over the girl, her eyebrows where brown, giving away how fake her hair colour was, she was a lot shorter than him or Juliet, and from what he could tell from under that black, sunflower patterned shirt she wasn't a runner like Juliet, she had a bit of meat on her bones, a plump little thing. Her porcelain pink skin looked soft, despite the fact she looked as though she'd been knocked down a flight of stairs.

"You must be the family emergency. Nice to meet you." He smiled as Juliet opened to the door, Max making his way to the kitchen like he owned the place… well, you know what I mean.

Sonnet was looking around the apartment, taking in its beauty as she spoke "I'm just a friend and I'm barely that."

"Hey, that's not true!" Juliet and Max where unpacking the bags while Sonnet attempted to sit on the counter with the help of her good arm.

Finally, Sonnet managed to get on to the counter and laughed bitterly "If I was anyone except Blossom's sister, you'd have sent my sorry behind to a shelter or something."

Max saw a sadness wash over both women as Juliet abandoned the shopping, looking like she wanted to reassure the redhead, despite the guilty glint in her eyes. "Sonny…"

Sonnet looked almost ashamed and shrugged "Sorry, these painkillers are bringing out my bitchy side. So, Max, Juliet tells me you have a creepy old grandpa."

"Sonnet! Max, I am so sorry." Juliet's face flushed with embarrassment as Max tried to laugh off the sudden attention.

"What? I have crazy Grandparents to." Somehow Sonnet had found the cookie jar and managed to place it between her legs and smiled with crumbs sticking to the scab on her lip.

"Angie and Frank are not crazy. Please, ignore her." Juliet turned her back to him with a blush of embarrassment flushing her cheeks, putting away cereal so he could see the curve of her ass as she bent and stretched slightly.

"That's okay for you to say you didn't have to live with them! Don't get me wrong I love my grandparents but not seeing Pop's in his tighty-whitie's every day or hearing Nana sing to the cat, are definitely pluses. I'm sure your grandpa drives you nuts as well."

"Sometimes, okay maybe most times." His gave a half-embarrassed laugh, rubbing at that back of his neck and locking eyes with the knew girl, her eyes where so blue, dark and deep… they reminded him of the ice that clung around the building come winter, beautiful and hard "Speaking of, I should probably get back. It was nice meeting you Sonnet… Juliet."

Sonnet waved with a wiggle of her fingers, not even waiting for the sound of the front door as she tossed a funny look to Juliet and smirked "He is gorgeous!"

Smacking the girl's leg lightly Juliet whisper-shouted with a small smile "Sonnet!"

Max couldn't help but smile.

A few hours later and the two women where sat on the floor of the lavish apartment completely unaware of the rapt eyes watching them from behind those beautiful walls "…you're sure you don't want me to call them?"

"No, no. They'll just make it… a thing… I just want it over, you know." Sonnet was twirling a piece of chicken around her plate like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Juliet stilled her hand, giving it a light squeeze "Hey, it'll be okay. Your safe now."

Max smiled at how sweet and kind his Juliet was, but his heart strings strummed at the sight of the younger girl, she seemed so sweet, looked so innocent, yeah kind of cheeky but… who could have done such awful things to her? Why?

"I was thinking I could head over to my old place tomorrow, grab a few things…"

"No!" Juliet cut her off without so much as a hair's breath, her brow frowning in confusion and horror.

"It's okay, Owen will be at work 'til seven. I'm not stupid. And don't get me wrong I appreciate the loaner but your clothes are more than a little tight on me, I need my own stuff."

She wasn't wrong, Juliet's pyjama pants went high over Sonnet's well curved hips and the old shirt she'd borrowed was clinging to her skin, one button already popped open to show her creamy chest.

"Sonny, you can't be serious. Look, whatever you left behind we can replace."

"He has my Mom's necklace…"

Juliet bit her top lip, trying to think of a way around the situation while Sonnet watched her, determined and sombre as she was "look, why don't we call Detective…um…"

"Malcom."

"Yes, Detective Malcom in the morning and ask him if a few officers can pick up your stuff. How's that? Just promise me you won't go over there on your own?" Sonnet didn't like that, didn't like the idea of some strangers poking around her stuff, but Juliet was giving her that smile, the smile she would use to bump her B+ to an A back in high school.

So, Sonnet rolled back her eyes and groaned "Fine… I promise, but tomorrow night we're getting Indian food. I'm talking Korma, bhaji's, the whole shebang!"

Juliet smiled in triumph, she was just worried, always thinking of others, Max wondered if she ever thought about him. He liked seeing how Juliet was with Sonnet, almost maternal, he wondered how they knew each other, what she knew about Juliet, he wanted to know more… he just wanted more.

What he hadn't expected was a knock on the door the next morning, not even twenty minutes after he'd watched Juliet get ready and leave for work.

Sonnet was stood there, in the same black denim overalls and sunflower shirt she'd been wearing yesterday, the only difference is that her hair was loose and curling past her shoulders. She was smiling so brightly he thought she might reopen her lip "Morning Handsome…"

"Sonnet, hey, is there something wrong?"

Why was she here? Did she find one of his peep holes? Did she know something? Was she going to tell Juliet?

"I need a little favour."

Quirking a brow Max asked, "A favour?"

"Max, who is it?" August eyed the strange girl with an uneasy glare as he rounded the corner.

This did little to knock Sonnet off her stride, flipping back her hair with her good hand as she over acted with a bat of her lashes "Just a damsel in distress…" pushing her red chipped nails past Max and through the threshold with her smile still firmly in place "I'm Sonnet, Juliet's letting me crash for a little bit."

August eyed her hand, taking it sharply as he spoke "Are you loud or have pet's?"

"Not that I know of… and no, I had a cat named Noddle's, but she died when I was 16, unless cat-zombies are a thing, I think we're good." Max tried not to laugh, biting at his lip as his Grandfather smiled, finally shaking the girl's hand rather than holding it.

"well then Welcome, you said something about a favor?"

"That I did, I need to pick some stuff up from my old place and I kind of promised Juliet I wouldn't go alone… So…" her face was hopeful as she shrugged towards Max.

Max however wasn't too thrilled at the idea, he began rubbing at the back of his neck "Yeah, I'm not sure, Juliet may not be too happy about it."

"Max, this young lady is asking for your help, are you really going to just turn her away?" August was loving it, Max knew, the idea of him screwing things up with Juliet or being too much of a coward to help Sonnet, either was he was fucked.

Soft, silky fingers laced lightly through his without him realizing, forcing him to meet her pleading gaze "Please Maxie, come out and play…"

She was trying to be playful, sweet, but she was shaking lightly and her eyes, so big and blue a Puppy must have trained her.

"Of course, how could I say no?"

Less than an hour later the pair were walking into a small apartment building above a convenience store, Max almost refused to go in, the floor looked like it was rotting, and the walls had holes and graffiti all over them… what kind of owner would let their building become such a disgrace? Where was the pride? The love? The respect?

"Here we are…" Max watched as Sonnet quickly opened the door, nervously fiddling with the keys.

Max nearly fell over as Sonnet pretty much dragged him into the apartment, and we use that term lightly, the space was barely bigger than Juliet's bedroom, yet somehow managed a sheet stained twin bed in the back corner under the a cracked window, a small row of cabinets and a 80's stove that was trying to pass for a kitchen was beside the front door and the only other space was a bathroom with no door that Max was more than sure was actually a closet.

All that combined with the mustard walls and worn purple shag carpet was pushing Max to a panic attack "you lived here?"

Sonnet couldn't help but smile at the look of utter horror on his face, he looked completely mortified. She was rummaging through the draws under the bed, pulling out random items of clothing "Well not all of us can have landlords that actually give a crap. Sometimes you just gotta' take what you ca… got it!"

Max watched as the suddenly overly excited girl emptied a wooden jewellery box onto the bed, brushing out its contents frantically until she found her prize "There you are… Max could you give me a hand?"

She placed the necklace in his hand, pulling her hair up to show off her pale neck, it was a perfectly round white opal stone that fit snugly into the palm of his hand, a white gold setting with a pretty trim holding the stone in place. Max prudently moved to fasten the chain around Sonnet's neck, careful not to actually touch her "There, all done."

He watched her shoulders rise and fall with a heavy sigh as her vibrant red ringlets fell, she turned to him with a content smile, like a weight had been lifted "Thanks. Well now the important stuff's out the way let's get started."

"As you wish."

They didn't have much stuff to pack, most of it was Sonnet's family pictures, favourite clothes she apparently couldn't live without, along with her paint's and sketchbooks.

Her laptop and phone were missing, she guessed Owen sold them but didn't really seem to care t0o much.

While Max was tying the second bag he noticed a picture on top of the fridge, the frame was cheap and tacky but the smiles it held seemed pretty real; there was a boy with sandy curls and green eye's, eyes that were looking at Sonnet like she hung the moon as he held her from behind, Max couldn't make out the tattoo's on the mans neck but saw lots more covering his hands that where looped around the girls waist. Her hair was different, shorter and by the look of things her natural honey licked chestnut. both bundled up in big wool coats as she smiled brightly at the camera.

She looked so happy.

"oh god... I forgot about that."

Max's gaze snapped up to watch as Sonnet slowly slipped the picture from his hand. His eyes seemed glued to her as she traced the image with a broken smile "this was taken by some random on the pier a few months after we started dating… Owen had this mustard stain all down his shirt from me dropping my hot-dog on him."

Her smile twitched before it fell completely from her face. In the next second the picture was shattered into a million pieces against the far wall, glass covering the bed. Max saw the rage in her eyes, not pain or heartbreak, pure unadulterated rage.

Then she broke, tears, falling down her cheeks. Max wasn't sure what he was meant to do, or even what he was doing as his hand sheepishly reached out to her. He'd never been good with women, crying women he was worse with.

"Sonnet, hey, it'll be okay…" then she was in his arms, sobbing into his chest, mumbling words he couldn't make out as she fisted his shirt.

She was just so open to him, so free and unashamed in what she felt. Max slowly put his arms around her, rubbing gently at the small of her back… and she let him, trusted him to comfort her.

"Oh Max, why can't all guys be good like you?"

He didn't really understand her, why she said these thing's so he just laughed it off "You barely know me. Trust me I'm not that good."

"Good enough so far." She breathed into his chest, nuzzling into him. She was finding comfort in him, that was new.

He was in awe of it.

Eyes slipping closed for just a second, he could smell her shampoo, Juliet's shampoo.

The door creaked open to create a pregnant pause, Max turning to absently stand in front of fiery redhead.

"Sonny?"

Max felt the hard tuft of Sonnet's cast as her fingers latched onto his hip and her voice came out weakly "Hey, Richie."

The slim caramel skinned boy took a step into the room, his shoulder length black hair fanning behind him as he glared daggers to the girl "you have got to be fucking kidding me!"

"Hey now, why don't we all just calm down?" Max tried to calm the situation, he wasn't used to all this. He just wanted to grab Sonnet and head back to the comfort and safety of his walls. The walls where he could find Juliet unknowingly waiting for him.

"Calm? Seriously, step down old man." Richie turned from him to Sonnet who slipped from her scared appearance as she stepped forward "you don't talk to him like that! I know Owen's your friend Richie, but for god's sake…"

She was interrupted by him grabbing the upper part of her arm "do you have any idea what you've done to him? You fucking heartless bitch! Hit you? He should have killed you?"

Max was processing all this and felt the dark part that pulled him into the hollow walls rise up. It wasn't hard to piece together that her ex had hurt her, but this boy, this boy was blaming her? touching her?

Sonnet barely had time to so much as wince in pain before Richie was propelled into the cabinets, Max pinning him there as he spoke with small horse breath "you shouldn't…grab her…like that"

Richie's fear filled eyes darted from Max to Sonnet "man she's already got her claws in I see, hasn't she? Trust me, it's not worth it. Seriously man, look around! She's fucking toxic!"

Max could hear the blood pumping through his veins, the clench of his fists, that fog that left him groggy and unchecked. Then those petal soft fingers circled his arm, forcing Max to turn to those chalk blue eyes, pleading with him for the second time that day "please Max, let's just go home."

His grip on the skinny boy loosened as he grabbed the few bags they'd gathered and heading out the door, trying to numb the sound of pulsing in his ears as he repeated her words "Let's go home."

Sonnet trailed behind him, her plastered hand caressing her pendent as she spared one last glance to Richie offering him an almost tender smile with a tilt of her head and a cold glint in her eye "tell Owen I said 'bye' okay?"


End file.
